The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-02-05
AN ARKANSAW EPISODE.
A Sketch OF Early Days in tho west-A
Fratricidal Tragedy.

We were standing on street corner, my
friend and !. man passed by giving my
companion sign of recognition.
ibid you ever see such face as that" I
asked.
mo" he replied, ~ never saw another
like it. But have seen that one often, and
know its history"
If its history is as remarkable as its APP.
pearance is 'trdngc, | would like much to
hear it," reJolned. 1T is not pale; 1t il
not sickly-looking; 1t is white, pure white.
And its expression Did you notice it,
Pity, agony, pathetic grief and despair, are
all blended in it,"
"Well, you have told its history in few
words" he responded "lhat mans life is
overshadowed by the most cruel tragedy
that ever crushed hope from the soul OF IA
human bong His hand performed the act,
vet he is as gultless as the best among Us.
Queer, isn't i'll"
Rather. suppose you give me the
story"
"l'll do it,"
The following is the story, a. hc told it
10 me:
"When GrSt came TO Arkansaw bought
land on the Rod river and went into the
cDttOn-plantiug business This man owned
Il farm near me- He is man of learning
aud refinement, and although in these re-
spects somewhat out Of place in that local
ity he was a favorite among the people.
He had way of making the simplest.
minded greeuhOrn feel at home in his pres
ence; and his generosity AMI courage were
attributes often called into play in that
settlement can tell you.
AT the plant alton store, on Saturdays,
the neighbOrhood people congregatei to
talk, ana drink, and fight, and sometimes
murder. All three of these rccreations
We're indulged in on the occasion of which
1spcak. A stranger, Well mounted, wear
ing the conventional slouCh hat, boots,
spurs and revolvcrs, which form the toilet
of class now fast disappearing, arrived
there at ten o'clock in the morning. Al
shutdown he was riding toward tn river
leaving dead man lying on the ground be
fore the store. He also left the crowd be-
hind him. Too much liquor and an eQua
amount of fear kept any one from follow.
ing. He disappeared among the cypress
trees that marked the course Of the stream
and was gone in less time than IL takes me
10 tell you.
THE first man who made practical
movement was Sim Neal, thin, shrunken,
half-starved looking fellow, with head
like cypress knee and eyes like a dead
sun perch. He was a human plant indig
enous to the climate, and that lived on to.
bacco, whisky aud the chlls. He could
never grow old, because ~ was born with
as old u look AS the human face is capable
OF assuming, and retained it all through
life. Sim got on his mustang pony anu
rode off to the county town, ten miles dis.
tant.
II was In the sherffs Office when he
rushed in, shaking oil over with excite
ment 'Capu Hewitt he said, when he
was able TO speak, "A stranger shot and
killed old man Reasonable Dobbins, down
at the store on the Williams plantas'hun,
and rode erway like iitcnin' to'erd the
river
1.-The devil you sayr Numbered the
sheriff, as he dropped his pen and looked VI
at Sim with one cye-he lad lost the other
on account Of a sabcr cut across his cheek
from the temple to the chin Add to these
accom- lishments red head and mus
tache to match and you have not q hand
some picture, certainly; see him as he was
at that moment aud you would be startled,
II not frightened
That's wat say replied SIN drop.
ping into q chair.